Toy repeating pistol



Aug. 21, 1956 J. B. TIGRETT 2,759,294

TOY REPEATING PISTOL Filed March 10, 1954 INVENTOR. /6 Jofzrz B. T greflj B BY 75 w g? fi W United States Patent TOY REPEATING PISTOL John B. Tigrett, Jackson, Tenn.

Application March 10,1954,SerialNo. 415,348

'2 'Claims. (Cl. 46- -1) This invention relates to an amusement device and more particularly to a helix projecting toy repeating pistol.

It is an object of this invention to provide a device of the character described which is provided with an active element in the form of a helix capable of being suddenly extended into the air in the form of an inverted elongated cone, the apex of which remains secured to the device so that said active element will subsequently return or retract to its initial position on the device.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an amusement device of such character which is automatic in its operation, in the sense that it is capable of projecting the active element repeatedly merely upon repetitive pulling of the trigger element.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an amusement device in the form of a repeating pistol having an active element which simulates a projectile shot from a gun. Yet another object is to provide a toy pistol of the character described which is self-cocking in that no other operation is necessary than the pulling of the trigger, in order to animate the active element.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a device of the character described which may be easily operated and which is very unusual and attractive in the effect produced by such operation, but which nevertheless is very simple in its construction; which has a minimum number of relatively simple parts; and which lends itself particularly to being formed of moldable plastic materials.

Other objects, features, capabilities and advantages are comprehended by the invention, as will later appear and as are inherently possessed thereby.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of one embodiment of the invention the device being in the form of a toy repeating pistol;

Figure 2 is an enlarged view in side elevation partly broken away of the device shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a somewhat fragmentary view in side elevation of the device shown in Figure 1 with the trigger element shown in the fully retracted position.

Figure 4 is a somewhat fragmentary view in side elevation showing the various components at the moment of firing of the toy pistol.

Figure 5 is a somewhat fragmentary view in cross section of a portion of the toy pistol, the View being taken along the line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2 the toy pistol is provided with a housing indicated generally by the numeral having a pistol grip portion 12 which may be formed integrally therewith if desired. In the particular form shown in the drawings one half 13 of the housing 10 is shown in Figure 2 having the pistol grip 12 molded integrally therewith, preferably of some suitable plastic material. A supporting member 14 is provided which is adapted to be slidably mounted within the housing 10 2 so that it projects outwardly from the forward end 16 of the housing 10 thereof.

As is best shown in Figure 2 the supporting member 14 has a shaft portion 18 with a stop member 20 mounted substantially at the mid-point thereof. The forward end 22 of the shaft member 18 may preferably be bifurcated with the two arms thereof extended slightly for a purpose which will later appear. The rear end of the shaft 18 may be provided with an abutment 24 adapted to engage one end 26 of the compression spring 28 and to form a sliding support for the shaft 18 in the compartment 30 formed in the upper half of the housing 10. The compression spring 28 is also adapted to be received within the compartment 30. A stop member 32 may be formed within the compartment 30 in spaced relation to the forward end 34 thereof, which stop member is adapted to engage the abutment 24 on the shaft 18 of the supporting member 14. An opening 36 is formed in the forward end 16 of the housing 10 which opening is sufficiently large to permit the shaft 18 to slide freely therein. The shaft 18 may therefore be supported and guided in its movement within the compartment 30 by the abutment 24 on the shaft 18 and by the walls of the opening 36 in the forward end 16 of the housing 10.

Mounted on the forward half 40 of the shaft 18 is a web indicated generally by the numeral 42. This web 42 is normally wound on the shaft 40 in the form of a helix, being set or tempered to normally exist in that form.

The inner convolution 44 of the web 42 member may be secured to the shaft 40 by means of an adhesive, or any other suitable manner so that one edge of the web, when it is at rest in the form of an helix, normally abuts the stop member 20 formed on thesupporting member 14. The set or temper of the web is also such that each convolution thereof is normally in light frictional contact with each immediately adjacent convolution when the web is at rest, as shown in Figure 2. The forward end 22 of the shaft 18 is bifurcated, :as previously stated having the two arms 46 and 48 extending divergently from that end. These two arms 46 and 48 aid in retaining the inner convolutions of the web on the shaft during operation of the device. Each of the arms 46 and 48 have a shoulder50 formed thereon to aid in retaining the inner convolutions in place while the divergent and resilient character of the arms also insures the effectiveness of these shoulders.

The housing 10 has a second parallel compartment 52 formed therein immediately below the compartment 30, but separated therefrom by the wall 56 running the full length of the housing 10. The two compartments are however in communication with one another through a slot 54 formed in the wall 56, best shown in Figures 2 and 5. A trigger member 58 is provided which is adapted to be received within the compartment 52 and to slide rather loosely therein. A finger trigger 60 is preferably integrally formed with the trigger member 58, which is adapted to project through the slot 62 formed in the housing 10 in the lower wall 63 thereof.

The trigger member 58 is normally urged in a forward direction by the resilient member 64 so that it abuts the end 16 of the housing 10. The rear end 66 of the trigger member may be formed to cooperatively receive the forward end 68 of the resilient member 64 so that a positive thrust is applied to the trigger member 58 when the resilient member 64 is compressed. The upper edge of the trigger member 58 preferably has two guide members 70 and 72 projecting therefrom, both of which are adapted to be received within the slot 54 formed in the wall 56 which divides the two compartments. The forward end 74 of the upper edge of the trigger member is also provided with a projecting member 76 adapted to bear against the wall 56 but not to project through the slot 54, as best shown in Figure 3. This projection 76 forms a fulcrum about which the trigger member is adapted to pivot when pressure is applied to the trigger 60. This pivoting of the trigger member 58 causes the guide member 72 to rise in the slot 54 into such a position that it will abut the abutment 24 on the rear end of the shaft 18, as best shown in Figure 2, a shoulder 78 being formed thereon for this purpose (Figure 3). Immediately to the rear of the shoulder 78 is a cam surface 80 formed integrally with the member 72 which cam surface is adapted to be brought into engagement with the end 82 of the slot 54 as shown .in Figure 3 when the trigger member 58 is in the fully retracted position. The cam surface 80 when so engaged with the end 82 will cause the trigger member 58 to pivot in the opposite direction about the projecting member 76 or fulcrum, the ultimate result being that the shoulder 78 is withdrawn from holding engagement with the abutment 24 formed on the rear of the shaft 18. The trigger member 58 is shown in the fully retracted position in Figure 3 at the exact instant when the shoulder 78 is moving out of association with the abutment 24.

Figure 4 illustrates the position which the shaft 18 and the supporting member 14 assume immediately after the abutment 24 is released by the shoulder 82. The resilient member 28 previously compressed, as shown in Figure 3, will then move the supporting member 14 violently forward until the abutment 24 abuts the stop member 32. The result is that the supporting member 14 is thrown violently forward and is brought to an equally abrupt stop, which movement causes the web 42 to be thrown out into the form of an inverted cone, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 1 and, in part, in Figure 4. As previously mentioned, after the web 42 has been so projected into the inverted cone form it will immediately return to the coiled position shown in full lines in Figure 1. Likewise, upon release of the pressure on the finger trigger 60 .it will be moved forward to the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 4. Upon a new application of pressure thereto the shoulder 78 will again be moved into engagement with the stop 24 and the gun can immediately be refired by drawing the trigger back to the point of full retraction as shown in Figure 3.

For maximum strength the shaft 18 may have a cross sectional configuration in the form of a cross, as best shown in Figure 5. Also, as best shown in Figure 5, the stop member 24 may be of rectangular configuration generally, and may have a seat 84 formed thereon, also in the shape of a cross, which is adapted to have the end 26 of the resilient member 28 seated in abutment therewith, as best shown .in Figure 3. The seat 84 may have a smaller cross 86 formed thereon which is adapted to be received within the end coils of the spring 28 to maintain the end 26 thereof in alinement with the shaft 18.

While I have herein described and upon the drawings shown illustrative embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto, but may comprehend other constructions, arrangements of parts, details and features without departing from the spirit of the invention.

It is claimed:

1. In a helix projecting toy pistol a housing member, a hand grip on said housing member, a pair of first and second elongated parallel compartments in said housing, a common wall separating said first and second compartments, a slot having a rear end in said common wall, launching means slidably mounted in said first compartment, stop means for said launching means limiting the forward travel thereof, a compressible spring in said first compartment normally urging said launching means against said stop means, a trigger member slidably mounted in the said second compartment, a compressible spring in said second compartment normally urging said trigger member toward the unretracted position, guide means on said trigger member projecting through said slot, a fulcrum member on said trigger member abutting said common wall about which said trigger member is pivoted, abutment means on said trigger member projecting through said slot into said first compartment for engaging said launching means when said trigger is retracted, cam means on said trigger member for engaging the rear end of said slot to cause said trigger member to pivot about said fulcrum member in the opposite direction when fully retracted, and a web of resilient material in the form of a cylindrical helix, one of the innermost convolutions of said helix being secured to said launching means so that the longitudinal axis of said helix is substantially parallel to the line of movement of said launching means and one edge of said web is normally .in abutment with said launching means, said web of resilient material being formed into a plurality of convolutions each of which is in light frictional contact with its neighbors, said material being set or tempered to cause it to exist in the form of said cylindrical helix when in normal repose and to cause it to tend to return to its cylindrical, helical form when any portion thereof is distorted axially.

2, In a toy pistol, a housing member, a hand grip on said housing member, a pair of first and second elongated parallel compartments in said housing, a common wall separating said first and second compartments, a slot having a rear end in said common wall, launching means for an activated member slidably mounted in said first compartment, stop means for said launching means limiting the forward travel thereof, a compressible spring in said first compartment normally urging said launching means against said stop means, a trigger member slidably mounted in the said second compartment, a compressible spring in said second compartment normally urging said trigger member toward the unretracted position, guide means on said trigger member projecting through said slot, a fulcrum member on said trigger member abutting said common wall about which said trigger member is pivoted, abutment means on said trigger member projecting through said slot into said first compartment for engaging said launching means when said trigger is retracted, and cam means on said trigger member for engaging the rear end of said slot to cause said trigger member to pivot about said fulcrum member to Withdraw said abutment means from engaging said launching means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,043,677 Salomon June 9, 1936 2,458,828 Boese Jan. 11, 1949 2,527,254 Hjelm Oct. 24, 1950 2,618,885 Tigrett Nov. 25, 1952 

